Carton



Dec. 15, 1936.

H. A. INMAN' CARTON INVENTOR .Har-ryfi. Irv/pan Filed Aug. 26, 1933 I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1936 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to cartons and moreparticularly to egg cartons. An object of the present invention, is to provide a collapsible carton formed from a minimum amount of sheet material, which carton possesses a high degree'of strength and provides a substantial amount of cushioned protection for the articles contained therein.

Another object of the invention, is to produce a carton provided with a V-shaped or cushioned bottom and having in intersecting planes, partitions of such shape and arrangement as to afford a high degree of resistance o a rushin force.

A further feature of the invention relates to a novel'arrangement for locking a tongue formed of sheet material in a slot in sheet material.

For a clearer understanding of the invention, reference is made to the drawing in which Fig. 1 represents a blank which may be folded to ton illustrating how the tongues of the longitu-' dinal partition are locked in slots inthe bottom section. I

Referring especially to Fig. 1, there is represented a blank of cardboard or other'suitable sheet material including latch strip 6, cover 1,

rear section 8, bottom section 9, front section I0,

transverse partitions H and fastening strip l2.

As herein shown the width of the cover 1 as well as the. greatest length of the partitions H are greater than the width of the bottom section 9.

It will be noted that the latch strip 6 and the 45 cover "I are joined together by material at "the line of scoring l3, while the material at the line of scoring l4 connects the cover.

to the rear section 8., Lines of scoring I5 and I6 define the bottom section with respect to the 50 rear section 8 and the front section' 10.

bottom section is provided with a longitudinal line of scoring l8 and .with spaced slots IS in alinementtherewith to permit the central portion of the bottom section to be elevated, thereby 55 providing two inclined portions joined at this formcertain of the walls of a carton and oer-- The line of scoring. The slots l9 are of substantial width and the righthand end of each slot as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, is closed by two opposing tabs 20 and 2|, formed by cutting the material of thev blank along lines 22, 23 and 24, as well as along lines 25 and 26. These tabs may be of equal length although as herein illustrated tab 2| is longer than tab 20 to extend across the line of scoring IS. The function of the tabs 20 and 2| of unequal length, as well as the purpose of having the slot 20 of a substantial width will be hereinafter set forth.

The transverse partitions II are out free from the remainder of the blank along lines 21 and 28, inclined toward the edges of the blank, except that the upper corners of each partition is integral with triangular connecting pieces 29 being connected to these pieces by the material scored at the score lines 30. These triangular connecting pieces are also integrally connected to front section II) and to the connecting strip I2 by the material scored along the lines 3|. Each triangular connecting piece is provided with a line of scoring 32 extending from the free margin of the piece to its-opposite apex to permit the carton to be collapsed. Although it is preferred to provide the lines of scoring 30, 3|

and 32 to define the triangular connecting pieces,

it will be understood'that the blank may be folded along these lines even if the blank is not originally provided with this scoring. 6

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the lefthand or bottom edges 33 of the, transverse partitions are cutout in V-shaped formation, while the righthand edges 34 of these partitions are likewise of general v -shaped outline, except that the apexes thereof are cut off as indicated at 35 to provide straight edge portions in a plane common with the top of the carton when assembled.

The two outside or end partitions areprovided with the kerfs 36 while the intermediate partitions are provided with kerfs :36 and 31 extending in alinement respectively from the top and bot I tom edges of these partitions when the carton islower edge with tongues 43 to engage the respective slots I9 in the bottom section 9 when the carton is assembled. Each of the tongues has a lateral locking notch 44 at the junction of. the tongue with the longitudinal partition. It should be mentioned that the width of the tongues 43 at their notches 44, is slightly less than the length of the slots IS in the bottom section. The number of tongues 43 and the number 'of related slots l9 are preferably such that these tongues support the bottom section at points between each pair of transverse partitions.

In completing the carton ready for shipment, the blank is folded into rectangular form along the lines of scoring l4, l5, I6 and the scoring lines 3| of the triangular connecting pieces at both sides of the transverse partitions. The free edge of the fastening strip I2 is turned downward and this strip is then glued or otherwise fastened to the back section 8 as shown in Fig. 4. The transverse partitions are then folded downward at right angles to the bottom section 9 by folding on the lines of scoring 30. Thereafter, the longitudinal partition 39 is assembled into the carton by inserting the transverse partitions I| into the respective slots 40- and 4| of this partition until the body of the partition engages the bottoms of the kerfs 36 in the transverse partitions. The tabs 42 then enter the kerfs 31 in the bottom edges of the intermediate transverse partitions to lock the longitudinal partition thereto.

With the parts thus formed, the carton may be collapsed into flat condition (as shown in Fig. 5) by folding the portions of the bottom section 9 along the line of scoring l8 away from the remainder of the carton and by moving the longitudinal partition 39 to the right (Fig. 5)

while folding the connecting pieces on the lines of scoring 32 and while doubling both portions of each transverse partition I l toward each other along the line of scoring 38. With the carton in this fiat condition, as shown in Fig. 5, it may be shipped to the ultimate consumer who can form it ready for use as shown in Fig. 3, merely by moving the longitudinal partition ,39 endwise until the tongues 43 thereon can be inserted through the slots IS in the bottom section of the carton after it has been raised to the position as shown in Fig. 4. Since the width of the tongues 43 is greater than the length of the slots I9, the tabs 20 and 2| must be forced downward to permit these tongues to enter the respective slots and to pass between these tabs. When, however, the tongues are completely inserted into the slots and moved to the left until the: material at the left end (Fig. 6) of the slots engages the notches 44 of the tongues, the tabs 2ll and 2| due to their substantial resilience return to their normal positions where their exposed edges can engage the adjacent edges of the tongues. It has been mentioned that slots I 9 have a substantial width and that tab 2| is longer than tab 29 with the tab 2| extending across the line of scoring l8.

the position shown in Fig. 6, that is with right hand edges of the tongues engaging the long tabs 2| so that there is very little chance for these tongues to enter the cuts 23 accidently. The latch strip 6 has hook-shaped tongues 45 which are adapted to engage the triangular connecting pieces 29 at the front of the carton so that the cover may be latched in closed position as shown in Fig. 4. It will be understood that even if the tabs 20 and 2| are of equal length, the tongues will be retained in the slots l9 until intentionally removed therefrom. This arises from the fact that the ends of a pair'of tabs 29 and 2| are substantially in engagement so that the right hand edge of the tongue will engage the exposed edge of either one or both of said tabs without entering the cut 23.

What I claim is:

1. In an arrangement for looking a strip of sheet material at an angle to a piece of sheet material folded in V-shaped form, said piece having an elongated slot therein of substantially greater width than the thickness of the material of said strip, said slot being symmetrical with respect to and having its greatest dimension extending in the direction of the axis of said fold, said piece being provided with two opposing tabs defining one end of said slot and having their ends in substantial engagement, said tabs being of unequal length so that one tab extends across said fold, said strip having a tongue with a lateral notch therein, said tongue at one portion thereof having a widthgreater than the length of said slot and the portion of said tongue at said notch having a width slightly less than the length of said slot.

2. In an arrangement for looking a strip of sheet material at an angle to a piece of sheet material folded in V-shaped form, said piece having an elongated slot therein extending along said fold, said piece being provided with a tab extending across at least a portion of one end of said slot, said tab being bendable about an axis parallel to and spaced from said fold and being of a length to extend across said fold, said strip havinga tongue with a lateral notch therein, said tongue at one portion thereof having a width greater than the distance from the free edge of said tab to the opposite end of the slot, and the .portion of said tongue at'said notch having a width slightly less than the distance from the free edge of said tab to the opposite end of said slot.

' HARRY A. INMAN. 

